


Luck

by sapphoatsunset



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-26
Packaged: 2017-12-09 13:50:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphoatsunset/pseuds/sapphoatsunset
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ginny and Pansy understand each other like no one else does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Luck

**Author's Note:**

> I sincerely hope you like this. This is the second fic I started for this and the only one that is finished because the first stalled out like an overheated radiator on a Texas summer day about 500 words in. I’ll eventually go and pick it back up, hopefully, but for now, I’ll cross my fingers that this is pleasing.
> 
> To M, thank you for dragging me out of a dark hole when I angsted too much. To A, thank you for the flawless beta; any remaining mistakes are my own. To femmefest_mod, thank you for running this exchange and bearing with me while I went through my first 48 hours of intense freak-out. You’re the best. ♥

**i. a chance encounter**  
Pansy didn’t know why she was walking down this corridor; it was the long way to get to class. Perhaps she was just tired of all the giggling and fawning, all the smirking and preening. Her house was full of it most of the time, as was she, but right now, she was just sick of it. 

Hearing muted sniffles, she almost wrote it off as the sound of Moaning Myrtle, but the ghost didn’t come this way to Pansy’s knowledge. Plus, making fun of some other lovesick bint would make her feel loads better about her own drama. _Draco should--_ Pansy cut off her own thoughts and rounded the corner, coming to an alcove.

The red-headed weasel spawn was there, _bawling_ her eyes out. Pansy smirked viciously. “Something go wrong in paradise, little blood-traitor? The hero can’t love everyone.” Every word was dripping with disdain, and her already up-turned nose was turned up higher still as she sneered.

The geyser of tears that answered her comment was like a balm to her soul. _And some barmy idiot once said that salt didn’t help wounds,_ Pansy thought smugly. It helped hers just fine.

 **ii. a chance voyeur**  
Ginny watched the street from her seat by the window and sipped her espresso con panna. She loved the heavy dose of cream in the drink that mitigated the bitterness of the coffee; it somewhat mimicked her life. Minus the sweet, but she was trying to ignore the fact that Harry had left her for Luna before they’d even graduated. One day he’d regain his senses and come crawling back on hands and knees. She’d torment him first before eventually welcoming him back and having the life she’d always dreamed of.

Across the street, a brunette in a bob caught her eye. The person was so stiff, like they’d just witnessed something awful. When the woman turned, Ginny realised that it was Pansy, sleeker than she’d been in school.

And she was headed Ginny’s direction. Ginny almost ducked, but that would be cowardly and more up the alley of a Slytherin. The red-head was glad that she held her head high and continued to watch; otherwise, she would have missed that brief moment of pain before it was hidden behind a mask of superiority, dignity and poise.

Deciding to let bygones be bygones--and thereby get Hermione off her damn case with the post-war unity tripe--Ginny waved at Pansy.

She was firmly rebuffed. Next time, perhaps.

 **iii. a fortuitous destination**  
It was months later when Harry brought Luna to the Burrow to meet the family officially. Ginny cried off. She’d already met Luna time and again before and frankly didn’t understand the appeal. The girl was still as loony as ever, going on about Nargles and the like.

Taking a portkey to Milan, Ginny was surprised to run into Pansy.

“Fancy seeing you here.” The tone was full of surprise and smiles but it was welcomed with snark regardless.

“Don’t you have any better lines to chat a girl up, Ginny?”

Ginny watched as Pansy’s face bloomed into a grin, and found that she didn’t understand, after all, why the girl was single. Pansy was surprisingly beautiful when she smiled. “Wasn’t trying to chat you up, unless that’s what you’re after. I thought you were in love with Draco...” Ginny was sad when the smile retreated from Pansy’s face to be replaced by composure. That just wasn’t on.

“Nevermind that. Since we’re both here--Harry’s being a berk, bringing Luna ‘round to _meet_ the family so retail therapy is in order--how about you show me where you got that dress?” Ginny suggested, extended an olive branch once more.

It was accepted. “Oh this? This was from Paris, darling. Don’t you know anything?”

 **iv. an unexpected guest**  
Pansy couldn’t believe she was here to witness this travesty. Actually, she could but it was much more enjoyable to stand, bitter and scathing, at the refreshments table. She was on her third glass of champagne--the expensive stuff because the Malfoy house-elves loved her--and spotted a spot of red hair in the crowd.

Great. Just who she needed to witness her downfall.

Draco’s engagement to Astoria--and Pansy’s embarrassment--had been all over the front pages of _The Quibbler_ , _The Daily Prophet_ , and some gossip rags she’d never admit to reading as voraciously as she did. This party was to be the event of the season so it shouldn’t have surprised her that the Malfoys had invited all the war heroes. With Voldemort gone, they were more snivelling than ever, fawning over the victors in a vain attempt to keep their seat at the table, even if said seat had diminished in import and grandeur.

Pansy sighed. The weaslette was headed her way and now she’d have to play nice.

“Fancy seeing you here, doll,” the blood-traitor said and Pansy cringed inside. _What was the girl getting at? Did she think that just because they’d shopped in Paris, Venice, **and** Milan together over two months ago, that they were **friends**?_ It was quite laughable, really.

“Really, Ginny, again?” Pansy didn’t say any more than that; surely the arch of her eyebrow expressed her feelings on the line well enough.

“Pansy, you really need to relax. Draco’s an arse, and so is Harry. Let’s drink to our dreams dying and our men being friggin’ idjits.” Ginny’s face looked as bitter as Pansy’s heart felt by the end of her statement.

“Then you’ll need to catch up. I’m three drinks in and I’d hate to find out that you can’t hold your liquor because you’re a lily-livered blood-traitor,” Pansy said, tempering the harshness of the statement with it grin. Damn it if she wasn’t starting to feel fond of the girl.

Ginny grinned. “I have six older brothers. I can hold mine much better than you.”

Four drinks later, Pansy was afraid the girl was right. She’d have to keep her around, apparently, and not just because she’d spoken so snidely of Lucius’s prize peacocks. Ginny was more hilarious with drink than Luna was sober without being mindless and flighty. Pansy was so seldom genuinely amused by the antics of others--this was one of those times.

 **v. a bit of the same all around town**  
Church bells were ringing all over England on a Saturday morning five months after the Draco and Astoria’s engagement party. Ginny cursed their happy sound as she watched Harry and Luna tie the knot in a muggle ceremony that seemed to just be promises spoken allowed in large company. How was that supposed to bind them together? 

It was then that she realised with stunning clarity that her life with Harry would have been one fraught with disagreements. She would never have agreed to a wedding such as this. Perhaps that was why Harry was with Luna.

Somehow the knowledge hurt even more. He could have explained that to her years before but he’d been too frightened of her acclaimed Bat-Bogey Hex, apparently. _Chicken._

As soon as the ceremony was over, Ginny apparated to her favourite bar, ordering a stiff drink in honour of the occasion.

✦ ✦ ✦

Pansy watched as light coalesced in ribbons, tying Draco’s and Astoria’s hands together in a most traditional manner. She had expected nothing less, and from her vantage point as a bridesmaid, she knew that they were both happy. 

It didn’t ease the burden on her heart.

She wasn’t what Draco had wanted or needed, and knowledge of that sort hurt. She wasn’t one to dwell on her failings--she was better than most out there anyways--but perhaps there was room to grow so someday she’d find someone to fall in love with. Someone strong enough to go against their parents’ wishes just to choose her.

Draco hadn’t been that man.

As soon as the light from the spell dimmed, Pansy offered her _sincerest_ congratulations to the couple before quickly fleeing the scene as though she’d committed a crime and not witnessed a wedding. It was too much.

But her favourite bar would have something on tap to soothe her soul.

 **vi. a future at last**  
Pansy was surprised to see a familiar shade of red sitting at the bar. It was kismet, almost, and the Slytherin found a smile, unbidden, on her own face.

“Ginny,” Pansy leaned over and whispered in the girl’s ear. She was gratified by the way Ginny jumped and whirled around.

“Pansy,” Ginny slurred, drunkenly happy. Pansy found it more adorable than she ought to.

“Yes. Budge over,” Pansy said, taking the stool beside Ginny. “A drink here and another glass of wine for her.” After a pause, she added in a stage whisper, “It looks like I have to catch up this time.”

Ginny glared at her drink and Pansy sighed. Apparently this was going to be a moody version of the girl. 

“Harry did it. He married her in some beastly muggle ceremony today.” Ginny’s tone was bitter and Pansy’s suspicions were confirmed.

“You didn’t want him anyways. Not if he didn’t pick you. That’s what I realised today. Draco--darling berk that he is--chose Astoria so he shan’t be mine and he shan’t receive any more of my tears. You should do the same. Move on, I mean,” Pansy murmured, lifting a hand to rub up and down Ginny’s back. It was a smooth back with little ridges along the spine, raised because Ginny was slumped over; Pansy wondered if hers was the same when she was slumped over.

“I know I don’t want him. We would have fought too often and then Ron would have fought with him too and Hermione would have yelled at me for starting it all.”

Pansy rolled her eyes. The golden trio needed to get out more, in her opinion. “Then why are you pissing into your liquor? Look at me.”

Ginny looked up and Pansy inhaled suddenly, not expecting Ginny’s lips to be stained the same shade as her hair due to the wine. They were beautiful and her eyes hovered there for far too long. Pansy wanted to kiss those lips. She couldn’t think of anything else, and certainly not any further advice involving the boy wonder and relationships.

Leaning forward, Pansy licked Ginny’s bottom lip, testing interest and taste in one movement. When not rejected, she sealed their lips, swallowing Ginny’s moan.

Who would have known that this was what she’d been missing? Certainly not she. Pansy pressed forward further, standing and aligning their bodies. She was the aggressor and she found that that suited her just fine.

“Wait.” Words were whispered against her lips, and Pansy groaned, pulling away reluctantly. 

“Yes, Ginny?”

“Not here. And not until we have a date.”

Pansy paused, and sighed. She supposed she could accept those terms. “Done. Sober up. We’re going on a date.”

Fin.


End file.
